http://www.metafilter.com/tags/tokens Posts tagged with 'tokens' at MetaFilter. Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:33:36 -0800 Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:33:36 -0800 en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 http://www.metafilter.com/77882/The%2DChuck%2DE%2DCheese%2DOuroboros In 1977, <a href="http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/bushnell.html">Nolan Bushnell</a> allowed <a href="http://www.atari7800.com/html/documents_articles_gnl.htm">Gene Landrum</a> to bring <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX-L4_2CHjA&feature=related">Chuck E. Cheese</a> <small>[yt]</small> to life as a <a href="http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/10/15/seven-ways-to-conquer-chuck-e-cheese/">family-friendly</a> access point to Atari <a href="http://craig.theeislers.com/2007/07/my_iphone_day_one_chuck_e_chee.php">games</a>. This, perhaps, <a href="http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewarticle+articleid_2411019.html">explains </a>the <a href="http://www.madisonatoz.com/2005/04/chuck_e_cheese.html">pizza</a>. <a href="http://www.platypuscomix.net/kidzone/chucke.html">During a search for a unique attraction, Bushnell offended Aaron Fletcher</a>. They then lost a potential major investor, Bob Brock, who was more impressed by <a href="http://www.rockafiremovie.com/">Fechter's animatronic wizardry</a> - or <a href="http://www.thorthebarbarian.com/tbcquests/id32.html">put off by the mascot</a>: a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhSHOh9Q8tQ">giant rat</a> <small>[yt]</small>. Brock instead created the competition, Showbiz Pizza Place*, which would soon surpass and absorb Chuck E. Cheese...by <a href="http://www.theonion.com/content/node/29905">uniformly converting</a> into <a href="http://www.chuckecheese.com/">CEC restaurants</a> or closing completely. The <a href="http://www.aza.org/Publications/2006/11/ChuckECheese.pdf">ascendancy of the rat</a><small> [.pdf]</small> hasn't been without <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/small-cap/2007/07/25/chuck-e-cheese-caught-in-the-trap.aspx ">challenges </a>and <a href="http://www.eeoc.gov/press/3-15-00.html">scandals</a>, <a href="http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_070507_news_chuck_e_cheese_w2.47d9eae4.html">though</a>. The <a href="http://blog.mlive.com/flintjournal/newsnow/2008/01/brawl_breaks_out_at_chuck_e_ch_1.html">effects</a> of <a href="http://blog.mlive.com/flintjournal/newsnow/2008/02/chuck_e_cheese_drops_alcohol_b.html">alcohol</a> on <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/waukesha/29584689.html">adults </a>and the <a href="http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/homepage/x1189480059">child-filled</a> <a href="http://www.whtm.com/news/stories/1108/570077.html">environment </a>have proven to be <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohii4pbXxi8">a contentious combination</a> <small>[nws; yt]</small>, <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/waukesha/29420794.html">leading to</a> <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/waukesha/29471409.html">some changes</a> and criticism**. While <a href="http://www.momlogic.com/2008/12/chuck_e_disease.php">the germ issue</a> may be <a href="http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2008/12/chuck-e-cheese-is-a-dirty-mouse.php">overblown</a>, it's true that the <a href="http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml06/06048.html">toys aren't</a> <a href="http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/PRHTML90/90031.html">the safest</a>. <a href="http://www.scnow.com/scp/news/state_regional/article/house_kills_chuck_e_cheese_bill_over_video_poker_concerns/1005/">Skeeball might lead to video poker</a>. Chuck <a href="http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/people/columns/intelligencer/14303/index2.html">might be</a> <a href="http://www.counterpunch.org/cohen10112005.html">pro-military</a>. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChLe6H4qCpY">The food</a> <small>[yt; 1:03]</small> <a href="http://www.calorieking.com/foods/category.php?brand_id=210&=Go&category_id=21&subcat_id=-1&partner=">isn't</a> <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_2154064_eat-healthy-chuck-e-cheese.html">the healthiest</a>. And, most worrisomely, their <a href="http://www.woai.com/mostpopular/story/Investigation-Chuck-E-Cheeses-Kid-Check/AijFPof7JkCm1VJsULKxBw.cspx">Child Check program doesn't always work</a>. Probably <a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/11192006/news/regionalnews/suit_bites_chuck_e__fleas_regionalnews_.htm">no killer gnats</a>, though. And at least the <a href="http://www.abc2news.com/news/local/story/Condom-Found-At-Chuck-E-Cheese/QoYP2k8-QEClUqo9PqFjRg.cspx?rss=702">condoms are unused</a>. Despite <a href="http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Chuck_E._Cheese">bitter</a><small> [nws]</small>, sometimes even <a href="http://encyclopediadramatica.com/Chuck_E._Cheese%27s">frothing</a><small> [nws]</small>, <a href="http://www.amiright.com/parody/90s/theverve4.shtml">post-childhood</a> <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Chuck+E.+Cheese">assessments </a><small>[nws]</small> by the <a href="http://cup-of-chemistry.blogspot.com/2007/06/chuck-e-cheese-investigation.html">disillusioned</a> and <a href="http://www.rosenblog.com/2005/10/16/surviving_the_chuck_e_cheese_birthday_party.html">jaded</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/cec0011">CEC/SPP</a> <small>[yt]</small> <a href="http://www.pophouse.com/display.php?cat=71&item_id=chuckbar">speculation</a>, <a href="http://www.samstoybox.com/toys/ChuckECheese.html">collecting</a>, <a href="http://www.nerdyshirts.com/chuck-e-cheese-funny-t-shirts.html">monetisation</a>, and inspiration*** abound. <a href="http://www.thegiantnapkin.com/ballpitrules.htm">Some wonder</a> <small>[nws]</small> if there's anything in it for the legendarily* <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FJa5trRXec">disaffected</a> <small>[yt]</small>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBVkODcL41U">long-suffering</a> <small>[yt]</small> employees...beyond the <a href="http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/4242058/detail.html">shenanigans </a>of their <a href="http://cbs4denver.com/local/dunlap.colorado.death.2.660538.html">infamous,</a> <a href="http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~reynard/la_caco/C_cheeze.html">self-important</a>, <a href="http://www.snellspace.com/wp/?p=428">clueless</a> and sometimes <a href="http://www.sponkit.com/brangelinas-chuck-e-cheese-visit-with-kids/">plain ol' famous</a> patrons. Selling <a href="http://users.pullman.com/fjstevens/tokens/cec/CEC.html">tokens </a>to the nostalgic, maybe? It's <a href="http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/922851/diary_of_a_chuck_e_cheese_employee.html?cat=31">surely not Chuck</a>. Maybe <a href="http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=72589&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1123674&highlight=">General Tommy Franks</a> (yes, <a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/27850/General_Tommy_R_Franks/index.aspx">that one</a>) can <a href="http://www.mattbors.com/2008/04/chuck-e-cheeses.html">turn it around</a>. How <a href="http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/leonardo-dicaprio-to-play-chuck-e-cheese-in-upcoming-atari-biopic.php">the rat will come off</a> in <a href="http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117987072.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&nid=2562">Leonardo DiCaprio's</a> <a href="http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/06/10/atari-movie/">upcoming film</a> is uncertain, but it looks like <a href="http://www.genelandrum.com/">Gene </a>will be <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS73576+29-Dec-2008+PRN20081229">just fine</a>, regardless. <small>[previously: *<a href="http://www.metafilter.com/19711/">SPP/RAE post</a>; **<a href="http://metatalk.metafilter.com/17112/Chuck-E-Cheese-Trouble">WSJ CEC violence article</a>; ***<a href="http://www.metafilter.com/72353/Nostalgafire-Explosion">Aaron Fletcher </a>&amp; <a href="http://www.metafilter.com/63466/just-another-nice-little-hobbyeverybody-needs-a-hobby-right">Chris Thrash</a> <a href="http://spin.com/articles/masters-puppets-rock-afire-explosion-story?page=0%2C0">(update)</a>; <a href="http://www.metafilter.com/33790/">Clapton @ CEC</a>; <a href="http://ask.metafilter.com/77089/What-has-caused-the-demographic-shift-of-Chuck-E-Cheese-customers-over-the-past-10-years">shifting demographics</a>?]</small> tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.77882 Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:33:36 -0800 atari batshitinsane childhoodmemories chuckecheese drinking entertainment familyfriendly kids militaryrecruiting parenting pizza restaurants scandals skeeball tokens videogames violence whereakidcanbeakid batmonkey http://www.metafilter.com/25420/Token%2DSucking <a href="http://www.mathiasen.com/?page=journal&amp;sub_page=archive&amp;display=0000002895">A Disgusting Practice Vanishes With the Token</a> "Officially, the crime is classified as theft of Transit Authority property. But among transit police officers it is more accurately and less delicately known as <b>token sucking</b>. Unfortunately for everyone involved, it is exactly what it sounds like." (Originally from NYT. More <a href="http://www.sitehouse.net/jamesbow/000831.shtml#000831">here</a>.) tag:metafilter.com,2003:site.25420 Mon, 28 Apr 2003 14:01:15 -0800 MTA subway tokens train transit Artifice_Eternity